Electrical flat panel displays are becoming evermore popular as a result of improved image quality and reduced form factor over conventional displays. Images viewed on flat panel displays such as OLED and LCD displays are comprised of thousands of pixels having a similar shape, arranged in rows or columns across a display screen. A pixel is a single sample or element of an image located at specific spatial coordinates on a display. Pixels in color displays generally consist of three segments, one red, one green and one blue, which, when observed from beyond a certain distance, blend together and appear as one single color.
An optimum pixel arrangement for color displays is generally referred to as a delta triad arrangement. A delta triad pixel 100 is comprised of three equal area red, green and blue (RGB) pixel segments, such as squares arranged such that each pixel segment contacts the other two, as shown in an exemplary fashion in FIG. 1A. Delta triad pixels produce high resolution, high quality images due to minimized distortion and maximized blending resulting from pixel segments being in contact with one another. The order of the segments may be rotated in various geometries and replicated to cover an area of a display screen.
Referring to FIG. 1B, a delta triad pixel array 110 is shown. Because of the configuration of individual delta triad pixels, a delta triad pixel array 110 leaves blank areas 120 around the perimeter of the display. If a single image covers a substantial portion of a display area, a bezel may cover the blank space. However, in certain instances a zero-bezel display area may be desired, such as when tiling smaller displays together in a mosaic pattern to create a larger display. Blank spaces along the borders of the smaller tiled displays may create undesirable visual effects and poor image quality. As a result, a delta triad pixel array 110 is not desirable for images requiring zero-bezel display areas.
One solution to remove blank edge space is the use of a repetitive pattern of rectangular pixels, used in many flat panel displays. However, the conventional approach of dividing each rectangle into adjacent red, green and blue equal area rectangular segments may compromise the desirable optical effects of the delta triad, because the color segments are no longer in proximity to all other colors, as shown in an exemplary fashion in FIG. 2. For example, in a typical rectangular RGB pixel array 200, the red segment 210 no longer contacts the blue 220 segment, and this may result in a degraded image quality.
Another problem associated with zero-bezel displays is the placement of connections to pixels. In displays with bezels, connections may be placed around the edges of the display making connection in the display's x axis along the left and/or right edges of the display, and, the display's y-axis along the display's top and/or bottom edges without affecting the appearance of the display. Alternatively, one approach to enhancing zero-bezel displays is to make connections to pixel rows and columns in the z-axis out the back of the display panel, instead of only around the edges of a display. Referring to FIG. 3, a pixel array 300 with conventional z-axis interconnections 320 disposed on an interconnecting surface 310 known to the art is shown. Each pixel segment may utilize an interconnection which controls the luminous intensity of the pixel.
However, a problem with conventional z-axis interconnections is blockage of the desired pixel area due to the placement of the interconnection on the surface of a pixel or pixel segment. Similarly, because the pixel material which gives off light is also located at the site of the interconnection, the interconnecting surface 310 blocks some of the emitted light from passing through to the viewer.
The amount of emitted pixel light blocked by an interconnection depends upon the ratio of the interconnection area to the pixel area. Unfortunately, due to the practical manufacturing tolerances required for layer alignment and processing, interconnections usually require too much area on the pixel segment resulting in a degraded image to the viewer. Similarly, on high resolution displays, the dimensions of the space required for interconnection may exceed the desired width of the pixel segment due to manufacturing tolerances.
Consequently, it would be advantageous if a system and method existed which utilized z-axis interconnections that did not compromise pixel image quality while allowing the full display to be viewed with zero space lost to, a perimeter bezel or blank display areas.